There is a new independent clothes shop opening in Margate this weekend

RUSKIN will offer designer goods from a range of British, European, and Scandinavian brands.

The store is owned by Shelly and Garrie Keeys who already run Ruskin independent clothing store in Whitstable but say they have long been big fans of Margate for family days out, visiting the Turner, the beach, the eclectic shops, galleries and restaurants – their personal favourite being GB Pizza.

They knew they wanted their next step for RUSKIN to be Margate, so when the old Burton building in the High Street became free they were overjoyed, immediately signed up to the lease, and the move to Margate was on.

Shelly said:“We’ve already had such a positive welcome from the folk of Margate, we can’t wait to be part of the community. “

RUSKIN was created two and half years ago, after Shelly had co-run a vintage accessory and gift store in Whitstable. Seeking a new direction she and Garrie spotted a gap in the market for good quality men’s clothing from smaller, interesting brands and, after many requests from their customers, added women’s wear to their offering last year.

The couple are passionate about championing brands that a have a strong sense of history and provenance, able to trace their design and manufacturing history, sometimes back over 100’s of years. Names such Folk, Universal Works, King and Tuckfield sit alongside Sunspel, Gloveral, Vetra and Redwing . The store also stocks Margate designers Crowther & Plant, who champion hand dyeing sustainable, organic fabrics and the locally sourced skincare and fragrance brand, Haeckels.

Shelly added: “The emphasis has always been about good design, knowing where it comes from, and brands that really care about the quality of their fabrics and manufacturing. We’d prefer to spend money on well-made items that stand the test of time both in their design and manufacture and have happily discovered a whole set of wonderful customers who feel the same.

“The Margate store will give us the chance to work with even more new designers and lines and we love nothing more than feedback and input from our customers, so a whole new set will be super exciting.”

The new Ruskin shop will open on Saturday (March 11) at 39-41 High Street. Initial opening times will be Thursday to Sunday.